Hot Cross Bun Bread Pudding

Got leftover Hot Cross Buns from Easter? Then this Hot Cross Bun Bread Pudding is the perfect, sweet and spicy dessert to use them up!

Well, hello there strangers! Long time, no speak! How are you all doing?

Not going to lie, the past few months have been super tough. Stressful, upsetting, long and hard. Family drama, bad health, Poppy being ill and constantly being back and forth from the vets trying to get her medication right.

We *think* we finally have the dosage right. She is much happier, just like her normal self, only a bit wonky. We can live with her being wonky, we’ve now got rugs over the entire downstairs of our house so she can grip and she hasn’t fallen once inside since we got them, so that’s got to be good as she’s hopefully not hurting her legs by falling awkwardly.

I’ve also been struggling with my own demons; both physical and mental health and I’ve just been prioritising client work and not really wanting to blog as I wasn’t in the right head space.

In some ways, working has helped as I focus on my creativity and setting up my shoots, but in other ways it’s been bad as I had such writers block there was no point in blogging as it would have been a 5 word post. I could not get myself out of my funk.

Not sure if it was almost losing Poppy that was the catalyst or what, but I’ve been pretty low. Even planning the wedding… I’ve just not felt excited. This should be the happiest time, but I’ve been feeling so awful, I’ve just been going through the motions.

Anyway, I’m feeling better this week, so I decided it was high time I shared a recipe with you guys. I don’t know about you, but we have an abundance of Hot cross buns leftover from Sunday and they’re getting to the stage where they’re slightly stale and not so delicious to eat alone…

Enter this Hot Cross Bun Bread Pudding! THE perfect way to use up those slightly stale Hot Cross buns! Soak them in a milky egg mixture, spread butter all over them, sprinkle with raisins/sultanas and then bake in the oven until soft, fluffy and utterly divine. Honestly, I don’t know why I haven’t done this before!

Lightly spiced, sweet, soft, delicious… OMG these are SO divine! Hope you enjoy this recipe and let me know if you get round to making it!

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Hot Cross Bun Bread Pudding

Got leftover Hot Cross Buns from Easter? Then this Hot Cross Bun Bread Pudding is the perfect, sweet and spicy dessert to use them up!

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings 6

Author Annie N

Ingredients

• 7/8 slightly stale Hot Cross Buns, sliced in half and both halves buttered
• 1/2 cup (75g) sultanas/currants/raisins
• 3/4 cup (180ml) milk
• 3/4 cup (180ml) double/heavy cream
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup (66g) caster/white sugar

Instructions

1. Place the buttered bottom half of your Hot Cross Buns into a lightly greased 11x7 inch pan. Sprinkle the raisins/sultanas/currant all over the bun bottoms. Place the tops of the buns on top of the raisins. 

2. *You may need to cut one or two buns in half from top to bottom to make sure they all fit in the pan snuggly and in rows. 

3. Place milk and cream into a medium sized saucepan over a low heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Be careful not to boil the mixture, when it bubbles around the edges, it's done!

4. Place eggs, sugar and vanilla extract into a medium sized bowl and whisk together until smooth.

5. Once the milk mixture is done, pour a small amount into the eggs and whisk. Continue pouring the hot mixture into the eggs very gradually, whisking as you go. If you add the hot mixture too quickly, you'll scramble the eggs.

6. Once all the milk is combined with the eggs and you have a smooth mixture, slowly pour the mixture all over the Hot Cross Buns.

7. Leave the pan for 30-40 minutes for the Hot Cross Buns to absorb some of the mixture. At this stage you can cover and place in the fridge overnight if desired.

8. After 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 160C/325F and place the buns into the oven for 35-40 minutes, until golden and crisp on top and if you shake the pan gently the middle is set. You can also insert a skewer and if it comes out clean, then it's done.

9. Leave to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm or cold, with custard or cream. Hot Cross Bun Pudding will keep covered, in the fridge, for 5 days.

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